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Healthy fats such as olive oil, salmon, and chia seeds
these foods may boost your body's immune
response to pathogens by decreasing inflammation.
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Your immune system works day in and
day out to protect you from disease-causing microorganisms.
But sometimes it does fail.
A germ invades successfully and now you're sick.
Is it possible to intervene in this process and boost your immune system?
What if you improve your diet?
Are there certain supplements I should be taking to boost my immune system?
Today, I'm here to share with you nine tips that you can incorporate
into your everyday life to promote a healthy and strong immune system.
Hey, everyone. I'm Doctor Jordan Wagner.
I'm a board-certified emergency medicine physician
and on my show answer your urgent medical questions
and clear myths about certain deadly diseases.
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That way you are instantly alerted when I post a new video.
The idea of boosting your immunity is enticing
but the ability to do so has proved elusive for several reasons.
The immune system is precisely that a system not a single entity.
Researchers have been studying outside factors of the immune response for decades.
There's still a lot of scientific unknown about
the inner workings of our immune system.
In the meantime general healthy living strategies
and these tips are a good way to start giving your immune system the upper hand.
Number one: Get enough sleep.
Sleep and immunity are closely tied together.
In fact inadequate or poor quality sleep is linked to a higher susceptibility to sickness.
Getting adequate rest may strengthen your natural immunity.
Also you may sleep more when you're sick
to allow your immune system to better fight the illness.
Adults should aim to get about seven to ten hours of sleep each night.
If you're having trouble sleeping try limiting screen time for an hour before bed
as the blue light emitted from your phone, your TV,
your computer, may disrupt your circadian rhythm
or your body's natural wake sleep cycle.
Also try making your bedroom completely dark
using a sleep mask, going to bed at the same time every night,
and exercising regularly.
Number two: Evaluate your diet.
We are what we eat. Right?
Our diet is responsible for so much of our immune system.
Stick to whole foods.
No not the supermarket.
I'm talking about non-processed foods.
Whole foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes
are rich in nutrients and antioxidants that may give you
an upper hand against harmful pathogens.
The antioxidants in these foods help decrease inflammation
by combating unstable compounds called free radicals.
Free radicals can cause inflammation when they build up in your body at high levels.
Chronic inflammation is linked to numerous health conditions
including heart disease, Alzheimer's, and certain cancers.
Incorporating healthy fats into your diet:
Healthy fats such as olive oil, salmon, and chia seeds
these foods may boost your body's immune response
to pathogens by decreasing inflammation.
Healthy fats like olive oil and omega-3s are highly anti-inflammatory.
Since chronic inflammation can suppress your immune system
these fats may naturally combat illnesses.
Be mindful of your daily sugar intake: Curbing your sugar intake
can decrease inflammation and aid in weight loss
thus reducing your risk of chronic health conditions,
like type two diabetes and heart disease.
Given that obesity, type two diabetes, and heart disease can all weaken your immune system
limiting added sugars is an important part of immune-boosting diet.
You should strive to limit your sugar intake to less than five percent of your daily calories.
This equals two tablespoons or 25 grams of sugar for someone on a 2000 calorie diet.
Number four: Take probiotics supplement.
I'd recommend only taking a probiotic supplement if you're having difficulty
incorporating fermented foods into your diet.
Fermented foods: Fermented foods are rich in beneficial bacteria
called probiotics which populate your digestive tract.
These foods include yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, and nattō.
Research suggests that a flourishing network of gut bacteria
can help your immune cells differentiate between normal healthy cells
and harmful invading organisms.
If you don't regularly eat fermented foods probiotic supplements are another option.
Gut health and immunity are closely related.
Fermented foods and probiotics may boost your immune system
by helping it identify and target harmful pathogens.
Number five: Moderate exercise.
Although prolonged intense exercise can suppress your immune system
moderate exercise can give it a boost too.
Examples of moderate exercise include brisk walking,
steady cycling, jogging, swimming, and even light hiking.
Most people should aim for about at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week.
Studies indicate that even a single session of moderate exercise
can boost the effectiveness of some vaccines in people with compromised immune systems.
Moderate exercise can reduce inflammation and promote the healthy turnover of immune cells.
Jogging biking, walking, swimming, weightlifting or even hiking are great options.
Number six: Stay hydrated.
Hydration doesn't necessarily protect you from germs and viruses,
but preventing dehydration is important to your overall health.
Dehydration can cause headaches and hinder or your physical performance,
focus, mood, digestion, and heart and kidney function.
These complications can increase your susceptibility to illness.
To prevent dehydration you should drink enough fluid daily to keep your urine pale yellow.
I know I know some people can't stand to drink just plain water.
If you really can't just drink water I suggest alternating between unsweetened tea.
However try to avoid the sweetened ones
as much as possible because of their high sugar content.
As a good general practice you should drink when you're thirsty
and you should stop when you're no longer thirsty.
You may need even more fluids if you exercise intensely, work outside, or live in a hot climate.
It is important to note that older adults begin to lose the urge to drink
as their bodies do not signal thirst adequately.
Older adults need to drink regularly even if they don't feel thirsty.
Given that dehydration can make you more susceptible to illnesses
be sure to drink plenty of water each day.
Number eight: Manage your stress levels.
Relieving stress and anxiety is key to immune health.
Long term stress promotes inflammation as well as imbalances in immune cell function.
In particular prolonged physiologic stress can suppress the immune response in children.
Activities that may help you manage your stress include
meditation, exercise, journaling, yoga, and other mindfulness practices.
You may also benefit from seeing a licensed counselor
or therapist whether virtually or in person.
Lowering your stress levels through meditation, yoga, exercise, and other practices
can help keep your immune system functioning properly.
Number nine: Supplement wisely.
It's super easy to turn to supplements if you hear claims about their ability to
promote immune health, weight loss, and other false promises.
We live in a world of instant gratification.
However it's important to understand that supplements are prone to being mislabeled.
Supplements are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration as food and not drugs.
Thus you should only purchase supplements that have been
independently tested by third-party organizations
like United States Pharmacopeia, NSF International, or Consumer Labs.
And as always consult with your primary care physician or pharmacist
before taking any supplements,
especially if you're taking prescription medications.
Many supplements contain ingredients that have a strong biological effect
on medications that you might be taking for medical conditions that you have.
The bottom line,
you can make several lifestyle and dietary changes today
to strengthen your immune system.
There are still a lot of unknown about the intricacies of our immune system.
For now there are no proven scientific direct links between lifestyle and
enhanced immune function.
These include reducing your sugar intake, staying hydrated, working out regularly,
getting adequate sleep, and managing your stress levels.
Although none of these suggestions can prevent COVID-19,
they may reinforce your body's defenses against harmful pathogens.
All right, that's been a quick immune-boosting break down with me, Doctor Wagner.
Let me know in the comments
if you have any other medical questions that you'd like me to answer.
And as always make sure you subscribe
and turn the bell notifications on.
Thank you so much for watching and stay healthy my friends.